Numerous hydration systems have been conceived in effort to effectively and conveniently quench the thirst of cyclist and other athletes or hobbyist who need to pack or carry along a personal water supply. Many have chosen to abandon the trusty water bottle mounted in a cages attached to a bicycle frame or carried in a hip pack in favor of using a hydration pouch.
A popular class of hydration pouch products set a pouch in a backpack, whereby access to the liquid contents of the pouch are made available by a hose running from the base of the pouch to the mouth of a user. A bite valve is usually included at the end of the hose so the user can obtain refreshment without involving his or her hands. Examples of such systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,420,097; 4,948,023; 5,085,349; 5,060,833; 5,282,557; 5,427,290; 5,727,714; 5,722,573; 5,806,726; 5,864,880[MSOffice1]; 6,032,831 and 6,039,305.
Hydration pouches have gained acceptance for reason of the large volume of drinking fluid they may contain—as compared to a standard, or even oversized cycling water bottle. Of equal importance, however, is the manner in which hydration pouches carry the drinking fluid. Its flexible nature allows the load carried on the user's back to conform in shape and also for the pouch to collapse as the liquid volume is drained from it. Both these feature contribute to the comfort of its use.
In contrast, water bottles as used in cycling are substantially rigid. They may be compressed to squeeze out their contents, however, they return to shape. Most often, such bottles are generally cylindrical, as is convenient for their receipt within a common water bottle cage.
A hydration system with some features in common with those of the present invention is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,607,087 to Wery, et al. Here, a pressurized water bottle connected to a hose with a bite valve is disclosed. At the end of the hose opposite the bite valve, a quick-connect/disconnect coupling is provided. When disengaged, the portion remaining with the water bottle, which includes a check valve or shut-off valve prevents the escape of fluid and pressurized gas there from.
The system in the Wery, et al. patent requires charging of a water bottle with pressurized gas in order to force fluid from an elevation below the bite valve to the mouth of the user. The valve combination disclosed facilitates trading out one spent bottle for another for providing continued refreshment to the user.
A primary distinction between the Wery, et al. system and that of the present invention is that the present invention employs a flexible hydration pouch. It eschews the rigidity of the water bottle (which is made even more so in the device in the referenced patent due to the presence of pressurized gas therein) in favor of the compliant advantages offered by a “Camel Bak®” type device.
While certain of such hydration pouch devices include removable hoses, none known of include a detachable hose with a check valve set to maintain the contents of the pouch upon removal of the hose. U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,726 to Ho merely discloses a hydration pouch with a hose that is attached (or may be removed) by way of a threaded coupling to the bag. Such a system does not allow for the advantages of the present invention as summarized below. Namely, Ho fails to disclose or suggest a hydration bladder that includes a valve that is biased shut when a hose for supplying fluid from the pouch to the user is disconnected from the pouch.